New Elegance: Historic Hunter Valley hotel reopens with opulent makeover

The historic The Sebel Kirkton Park Hunter Valley has received a multi-million-dollar refurbishment which has transformed the resort from quaint country manor to 21st century sophisticated chic, setting a new benchmark for hospitality in the Hunter Valley region.

Award-winning Sydney interior designer Greg Natale who was at the helm of the renovation, saw a gap in region's offerings to create the luxe yet intimate alternative offering all the amenities of a big hotel, that wouldn’t be out of place in France or upstate New York.

All 70 guestrooms and interior public spaces have been rejuvenated by Greg Natale and his team, combining classic country heritage character with contemporary elegance, using the site's original black-and-white tiled flooring as a starting point for the project. 

Natale’s own furniture and wallpapers feature throughout the interiors, including his Hudson lounge chairs and tables and his Atlantic Blue wallpaper from Porter’s Paints. Visitors are also able to purchase his signature-printed cushions and hand-picked wall art, as featured in the guest rooms.

Part of the renovation includes the overhauled fine dining restaurant, Locavore Dining. Sustainable farming methods are used to support the restaurant and bar, with 30 percent of the menu sourced from the hotel's 70 acre grounds, and 50 percent from local partners/farmers.

Guests are encouraged to enjoy the kitchen garden, which supplies the restaurant, and chef Trent Weber has even been known to give guests his blessing to pinch organic herbs, fruit or vegetables growing on the estate to take home with them at the end of their stay.

Find more interior design tips from Greg Natalie in his book The Tailored Interior, rooms at The Sebel Kirkton Park start at $194.